Fresh from a mid-life makeover, Kia’s EV6 electric crossover heads up to Scotland for a week’s thorough grilling by Al Suttie.

Kia EV6 GT-Line S 84kWh RWD

List price (BiK): £53,620 (2%)    CO2: 0g/km    Economy: 347 miles   Test efficiency: 249 miles

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Monday

Walking round the Kia EV6 that arrived this morning, it’s initially hard to spot the updates effected on this car for 2025 without seeing it side-by-side with the earlier version. A quick check shows the front has been mildly restyled, there’s a new rear bumper and this GT-Line S model comes on 20-inch alloy wheels. This particular car is finished in the newly available Wolf Grey, and overall it’s a striking, good-looking car.

Tuesday

Perhaps of most interest to fleet drivers with the updated EV6 is Kia says it can now offer a range of up to 361 miles. This GT-Line S model here, with rear-wheel drive and the 84kWh battery, claims 347 miles, which is decent by current standards. In the chill of a Scottish winter and with a good portion of my driving on faster roads, we’ll see how that plays out.

Wednesday

I’m not sure if it’s me or the EV6’s front cabin design, or a mix of both, but I feel like I’m sitting quite high up yet comfort dictates a relatively sporty driving position. It’s a curious combination which is largely due to the pedal layout and making my feet comfy. With the seat (electrically) adjusted and set, it’s ideal and ticks off a longer trip into deepest Fife without so much as a fidget.

Thursday

Into Edinburgh today and parking in an underground bay with barely enough space either side to squeeze down, never mind open the door. This is compounded by the large concrete pillars set between each bay. Just when I was resigned to climbing out the window, I remembered the EV6 has the updated Remote Smart Parking Assist 2.0. Exit at my ease and then use the key fob to reverse the car into the space. Hey presto – all done.

Friday

Returning from Edinburgh this morning and the EV6 needs some electricity poured into its battery. A 120kW charger does the trick in short order, though it’s far from cheap and works out at twice the price of diesel for the equivalent distance. With no home charger possible for me, this remains a sizeable barrier to EV ownership for myself and other business users in the same situation.

Saturday

The standard Saturday mix of driving is curtailed to some extent with no football for my son due to the stormy weather. However, there’s still the shopping and other chores, which the EV6 ticks off with ease and mostly town driving is made easy with the i-Pedal. I know it’s not everyone’s cuppa, but I like it and find it simple to modulate inputs for acceleration, cruising and brakes to maximise driving range.

Sunday

After a week with the updated Kia EV6, I find myself defaulting to Eco mode and the i-Pedal when I get in the car to achieve the best possible range. It definitely makes a difference, though the near zero-degree temperatures mean the maximum possible range is down to around 250 miles on a full charge. Experience tells me that would top 300 miles in the summer months. My week with the EV6 also tells me it’s a mighty fine car for driving, comfort and quality.